The Gospel story of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11) paints a picture of jubilant multitudes. The promised Messiah was taking possession of His kingdom, and the people of the city lined the road, laying their cloaks at His feet. Crowds of children waved palm branches, crying "Hosanna to the Son of David!" This passage provides the text—and the setting—for Orlando Gibbons' exultant anthem of that name. Gibbons' Hosanna to the Son of David, a "full anthem" for a choir of six to seven parts, may have originally been composed for a ceremony associated with the English monarchy; both the exuberant music and the textual allusion to Christ the King would have justly honored the divine ruler. The anthem also wore well, becoming a popular addition to seventeenth century manuscript and print collections of English church music. It admirably serves the liturgy of Palm Sunday, as well as other great celebrations and feasts of the church year. Though quite extroverted in outward style, Hosanna to the Son of David follows an elegant internal structure. Five musical phrases gradually expand in breadth, texture, and technique. The opening phrase uses a simple yet splendidly effective melody, placing the text "Hosanna to the son of David" on a wide, upwards leap that then throngs upwards to fill an octave. The upper six voices exult in this melody 12 times, leading to a cadence clearly articulated by an accidental D flat. Two phrases of increasing length follow; Gibbons adds the bass part and uses shorter imitative motives that are often closely spaced in pairs of similar voices. Then the texture ruptures. "Peace in heaven" is simply sing by two antiphonal choirs; the first trio of upper voices hints at angelic music. The counterpoint gradually builds until Gibbons suddenly recapitulates the resplendent opening motive, now to the text "Hosanna in the highest heaven." Yet this is not yet the climax. Once again, the upper six voice parts sing 12 imitative melodies. But this time, the bass voice enters, eliding the cadence, extending the triumphal imitation, and expanding the vocal texture to reach a new breadth of jubilation.

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